Local water supplies

Groundwater is water that flows beneath the surface through small pores and cracks in rock and soil. Throughout the world, the great majority of fresh water available is in the form of groundwater. In Santa Clara County, nearly half of the total water supplied comes from groundwater, so the district works to sustain and protect our groundwater resources.

In the year 2000, about 165,000 acre-feet of groundwater was used (an acre-foot is the amount of water it would take to cover one acre with water one foot deep). The groundwater basin transmits and stores groundwater and it also naturally filters the water that percolates down from the surface, making it suitable for drinking water and for municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses.

The district has many programs in place to manage this important resource. These programs are designed to aggressively protect groundwater from contamination and the threat of contamination and to ensure an adequate supply of groundwater. The Groundwater Management Plan of 2000 contains a detailed description of the district's programs to sustain and protect groundwater resources.